If you can wait 24 hours, cold brewing is one of the simplest ways to brew coffee. The longer brew time and lack of heat make the brewing process more forgiving than using the best espresso machine or even a simple French press. You'll only need good beans, time, and the best cold-brew coffee maker.
I've spent a decade helping cafés troubleshoot their cold-brew systems and deliver truckloads of drinks. Plus, I tested some of the best coffee makers for Business Insider, and I drink cold brew all year. The best cold-brew coffee maker we tested is the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker. Its smart and attractive design makes it effortless to brew a big batch of flavorful concentrate.
Top picks for the best cold brew makers
Best overall: OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker - See at Amazon
Best instant: OXO Rapid Brewer - See at Amazon
Best budget: Takeya Cold Brew Maker - See at Amazon
Best compact: Toddy Artisan - See at Toddy
Best overall
The OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Coffee Maker brews smooth, balanced cold coffee, and its sleek design will perk up any countertop.
- Produces cold brew with exceptional quality
- Can be brewed on the countertop
- Easy to operate
- Many pieces that can be damaged or misplaced
- Most pieces aren’t machine washable
- Takes 12-24 hours to make cold brew
If you want the best possible homemade cold brew and don't mind waiting a bit for it, the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Maker is the right pick. This stackable brewer made of shatterproof plastic is easy to assemble and store. Since it's designed to brew at room temperature, the process can take place right on the countertop, saving valuable fridge space.
It's a relatively straightforward design with a few smart features that make it better than the competition. Like most traditional cold brew makers, the OXO is essentially a carafe with a filter. What makes it different from popular models like the Toddy is a more secure brewing stand, a rainfall shower head, and a switch release. The rainfall showerhead ensures that the grounds are evenly dampened. Thanks to the switch release, there's no getting your fingers covered in coffee pulling the stopper like there is with the Toddy.
The concentrate brewed for 24 hours featured a deep and intense coffee flavor and a velvety mouthfeel. While the 12-hour version lacked some of the complexity of the 24-hour brew, it's an excellent option for those who prefer a lighter flavor profile. Thanks to the filtering system, we found no stray granules in the concentrate. This is a cold brew that compares favorably to the versions sold for $5 and up at popular coffee shops, and even the pickiest cold brew aficionado will be pleased with the quality.
It isn't perfect; the device involves numerous pieces (making it easier to lose a necessary item), and only the glass carafe is dishwasher-safe. Glass is also, by nature, less durable than plastic, and I worry that a true case of the Mondays would involve accidentally shattering the uniquely designed glass carafe. That said, these are small quibbles; when it comes to flavor, texture, and general quality, you won't find a better cold brewer than the OXO Good Grips Cold Brew Maker. —Taylor Tobin, contributor
Best instant
Using finely ground beans, the OXO Rapid Brewer can make cold brew concentrate in just 5 minutes. It's compact, easy to store, and intuive to use.
- Makes cold brew in 5 minutes
- Easy to set up and operate
- All pieces except the pump are machine washable
- Small and easy to store
- Requires very finely ground coffee
- Totally analog, so a separate timer is required
The OXO Rapid Brewer can produce a surprisingly complex cup of cold brew in only five minutes. Cold brew generally calls for plenty of patience, as traditional methods require at least 12 hours of steeping time. But if you're in a hurry and need some quality cold brew to kick you into high gear on a busy morning, you'll need to pick up a rapid brewer. While it's impossible to get the same level of flavor richness from a speed-focused brewer, I was impressed with the results from the OXO Rapid Brewer.
The brewer requires an espresso-grade grind that's finer than most store-bought pre-ground beans, so you'll either need to invest in an espresso grinder or buy beans at a coffee shop and ask the barista to grind them for espresso. Otherwise, the OXO Rapid Brewer is a compact nesting model that comes out of its box in tidy fashion and can be used exactly as-is. You simply add the grinds to the compartment at the base of the brewing chamber, fill the chamber with water, wait 2-5 minutes for it to steep, then push down on the pump until the concentrate drips into the carafe. Each brew cycle makes enough concentrate for 1-3 cold brew servings. You simply add water or creamer to the concentrate until the coffee reaches your desired strength.
Using the OXO Rapid Brewer is very straightforward. The only challenge is timing; because the Rapid Brewer is very analog, it doesn't come with an integrated timer, so you'll need to set your own timer for your brew cycle in order to avoid the bitter flavors that come with overextraction. As with any cold brew maker, the longer the granules steep, the stronger the coffee concentrate will taste.
We steeped the coffee for the suggested five minutes, and the resulting cold brew had a deep, dusky, and very coffee-like flavor. It lacked the nuanced layers of traditionally-made cold brew, but it would never be mistaken for a lesser form of iced coffee. It's definitely cold brew, and it can be made in a tiny fraction of the time it would take with the classic method.
Cleaning the OXO Rapid Brewer is a breeze, as all of the pieces except the pump can be loaded in the dishwasher. The pump only needs a wipedown with a damp cloth to remove any leftover residue. The Rapid Brewer's small size and stackability make it easy to tuck into a drawer or a narrow cabinet, and it's highly portable if you'd like to keep it at the office. —Taylor Tobin, contributor
Best budget
Despite the low price, the build quality of the Takeya is solid — the plastic is durable (though prone to staining after many uses)‚ and the seals are tight so there was no leaking even when brewing on its side.
- Affordable
- Available in 1-quart and 2-quart sizes
- Easy to use and clean
- Did not leak
- Clear plastic can become stained after extended use
- Too tall to fit upright in most refrigerators
Many cold brewers make a concentrate, whereas the Takeya makes ready-to-drink cold brew. Concentrate is nice because you can really dial in your preferred strength by diluting the brewed coffee with milk or water, but it takes a lot of space to hold the grounds and water needed for concentrate. As a result, concentrate brewers are large and run about $50. Ready-to-drink brewers like the Takeya are cheaper and more compact, but they'll only make enough coffee for a few days at a time.
The filter basket and cap on the Takeya screw together and then onto the pitcher — it's a secure fit. However, one drawback to this design is that it's hard to make sure all of the grounds are properly steeped if the brewer isn't shaken throughout the brewing time. There is about an inch of space between the filter and the lid, where grounds may become stuck and not be exposed to the water for brewing. The Takeya didn't leak at all, but the grounds settled in the top of the lid and fell out when I tried to clean the brewer, which made a bit of a mess.
Overall, the finished cold brew was very well-rounded and balanced, earning it a spot as one of the best cold-brew coffee makers. After 12 hours of brewing in my refrigerator, I got a tea-like drink. I brewed it for 24 hours and the results were much stronger, but not quite the same level as the concentrate from the OXO. The Takeya could easily be used to make a stronger concentrate if left to brew at room temperature as well.
Read our full Takeya Cold Brew Coffee Maker review.
Best compact
If space is at a premium in your apartment or fridge, the Toddy Artisan can make great cold brew without taking up much space. The brewer also serves as a carafe for serving.
- Compact and fits in small fridges
- Can make concentrate or ready-to-drink cold brew
- Very easy cleanup
- Requires single-use paper filters
- Silicone lid doesn't form a perfect seal
- Thin glass
The Toddy Artisan is a great portable alternative if you want a more traditional cold brew experience. While the OXO Rapid Brewer is extremely compact, it requires espresso-fine beans. The Toddy brewer can be used with the usual coarse grind that is typical of cold brew. It's essentially a glass jar with a silicone lid, and it comes with 12 paper filter bags, a metal filter basket, and tongs. The brewer itself doubles as a small carafe for easy storage after brewing; it's the smallest brewer I reviewed, slighter than a standard Mason jar.
The Toddy Artisan isn't the sturdiest product. The glass is a little thin and the silicone lid doesn't form a perfect seal, so I had to be careful not to knock it over while brewing.
This brewer makes concentrate and ready-to-drink cold brew. I brewed my first batch of concentrate according to the instructions for 24 hours at room temperature. It was balanced and slightly chocolatey with low acidity. I also brewed it for eight hours to try the ready-to-drink version, and it also tasted great, just a bit lighter than the concentrate.
Cleanup couldn't be easier since the grounds are neatly contained in the paper filter bag. Once the coffee is allowed to drip from the bag, you just dump out the filter bag with the grounds, rinse off the metal basket, and serve or store the coffee in the glass brewer itself.
What else we tested
Toddy Cold Brew System: For a long time, this was our top pick because it's intuitive to use and makes a ton of concentrate in one go. However, the OXO has small feature upgrades that gave it the edge over the Toddy in our most recent testing. Still, this is a great pick for experienced cold brew lovers who only want to have to make concentrate every couple of weeks.
Coffee Gator Cold Brewer: This cold brewer makes ready-to-drink coffee and is a solid alternative to the Takeya if you're willing to spend a little more money. We thought the ground saturation was better than in the Takeya, and it made a marginally better cup of brew — albeit at a higher upfront cost.
KitchenAid Cold Brew Maker: Another cold brew coffee maker that is also easy and convenient to use. It fits perfectly in my fridge and makes full-sized batches of cold brew. The only downside is that the metal filter makes brewing a bit inconsistent. I found the Toddy to produce a more even, cleaner cup of coffee.
Hario Mizudashi Cold Brew Maker: This cold brewer works similarly to the Takeya, makes similar-tasting cold brew, and is a few dollars cheaper. However, the Hario is tall and didn't fit easily into my refrigerator. The lid doesn't make a perfect seal, so I couldn't store it on its side.
OXO Cold Brew Maker Compact: An affordable alternative to the Toddy Artisan. It makes a well-developed concentrate that tastes a bit brighter and has slightly more grit. It also has a built-in reusable metal filter.
What to look for in a cold-brew coffee maker
Taste: First and foremost, you want the best cold-brew coffee maker to brew coffee with a strong and smooth flavor. We only recommend cold-brew makers that consistently produce delicious coffee. We found that the two automatic brewers we tested had less flavorful results, and we tasted slightly more grit in makers with metal filters.
Capacity: Cold brew makers range from making ready-to-drink single servings to batch-producing concentrate. If you have the fridge space and regularly drink cold brew, go for the larger brewing capacity. For the occasional cup, compact options take up less room, and you won't make too much coffee that ends up going to waste.
Brewing method: Immersion brewing is the standard style for the best cold-brew coffee makers. Coffee grounds are submerged in room-temperature water for an extended period of time. Drip cold brew makers use the Kyoto Method and are more complex machines; water is slowly dripped over a bed of coffee over 12 or more hours. The quickest method, and often the least flavorful, is the automatic cold-brew maker: a motor spins a filter basket around a water tank, agitating the grounds and creating a batch of cold brew in 25 to 45 minutes.
How we tested cold-brew makers
I worked in specialty coffee for almost a decade and handled countless tasks behind the scenes and behind the bar. For this guide, I consulted Eileen Rinaldi, founder and CEO of Ritual Coffee, and Ben Helfen, Education Support Specialist from Counter Culture Coffee.
I carefully weighed all the coffee and water using a digital kitchen scale according to the manufacturer's instructions. Unless instructed otherwise by the manufacturer, I used coarsely ground coffee (Ritual Coffee's Featherweight Blend) for each test and tap water filtered with a generic Brita pitcher.
Taste: The quality of the cold brew produced was the most important in my testing. Taste is subjective, of course, and because of that, I looked at how deep, strong, and complex the flavor was of each batch. I also looked at whether any sediment was left behind in the carafes after each batch was done.
Ease of use: For the first round of tests, I followed the directions from each brewer and noted the results. I looked at how easy each brewer was to set up, how easy the instructions were to follow, and how intuitive each product was to use. After the initial test, I tried longer brewing times, different brewing temperatures (refrigerator or room temp), and coarser grinds.
Quality: While testing, I noted the materials and whether the brewers felt durable enough to withstand extended use. I paid attention to the filtration method in each brewer, considering if they were reusable and easy to clean. For the brewers that screwed shut, I checked for leaks. I also noted how easy each brewer was to clean after use and whether there was any discoloration in the filters, pitchers, or carafes.
Cold-brew coffee FAQs
What is cold brew coffee?
Cold brew is coffee brewed cold or at room temperature, instead of with hot water. In the absence of heat, it takes much longer to brew coffee — up to 24 hours.
This process slightly changes the flavor. Helfen said, "Oftentimes, the nuance of the coffee is lost in cold brew, but because the sugars in coffee take longer to extract, the extra brew time can increase sweetness." According to Rinaldi, some of the more volatile organic compounds aren't extracted as readily; cold brew can produce a really clean and less acidic flavor profile.
How long does cold brew last?
Unlike hot coffee, which maintains freshness for no longer than a few minutes, cold brew can maintain its flavor in the fridge for a while. If stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator, it should stay fresh for up to two weeks.
What is the best coffee for cold brew?
Coarse ground coffee, similar to what you use in a French press, is best for cold brew. The major factor to consider with the grind size is filtration. Helfen said, "Most folks grind coarser for cold brew because of the long brew time and because filtering the liquid out of the grounds doesn't take as long."
There is no "correct" roast or blend of coffee in cold brew — feel free to use any coffee you like. Some experts recommend dark roasts: Rinaldi said, "Darker roasted coffee is more extractable, so you see a lot of espresso roasts being prepared as a cold brew."
What is the best cold brew ratio of coffee to water?
We recommend 1 part coffee to 5 parts water for cold brew concentrate and 1:7 for ready-to-drink brews. The one thing that's consistent across all brewers is that cold brew uses way more ground coffee than traditional brewing, so be prepared with your beans.
I suggest following the instructions included in your brewer and adjusting the ratio to taste.
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